Plastic corrugated container with sealed edges

Abstract

A reusable plastic container is provided. The container includes a plastic container body having opposing side panels and opposing end panels. The container body also includes top side panel flaps attached to a top portion of each side panel, and bottom side panel flaps attached to a bottom portion of each side panel. The container body has top end panel flaps attached to a top portion of each end panel, and bottom end panel flaps attached to a bottom portion of each end panel. The top and bottom side panel flaps are each defined with respect to the side panels by a fold line. The fold lines including at least one scored portion and at least one welded portion.

I claim: 
     
       1. A blank for forming a reusable plastic container including a manufacturer's joint comprising:
 a multilayer corrugated plastic sheet having a first planar outer layer, a second planar outer layer and plurality of spaced apart ribs between the first planar outer layer and the second planar outer layer, the sheet having a first thickness, a first plurality of side panels connected together along fold lines, the plastic sheet has a first lateral edge having a second thickness and a second lateral edge opposed to the first lateral edge having a third thickness, the sheet is folded onto itself and a portion of the first lateral edge is connected to a portion of the second lateral edge along the manufacturer's joint to form a polygonal hoop where the combination of the second thickness and the third thickness is equal to the first thickness, the hoop is movable from a pre-erected condition where the hoop is flat, to an erected position where the first plurality of side panels define a chamber with openings at opposed ends into the chamber, the sheet also having a second plurality of end panels connected by hinges integral with the sheet to the first plurality of side panels, the second plurality of end panels are foldable from an open position where they are coplanar with the first plurality of side panels to a closed position where they seal the openings into the chamber, wherein the hinges have a memory to bias the second plurality of panels into a position coplanar with the first plurality of side panels, and wherein the hinges maintain their foldability after the container has been knocked down from the erected position into the pre-erected condition for reuse. 
 
     
     
       2. The blank of  claim 1  wherein the container can be erected again from a used blank using packaging equipment. 
     
     
       3. The blank of  claim 1  wherein the second plurality of end panels have a smooth outer edge. 
     
     
       4. The blank of  claim 3  wherein the smooth outer edge is generally C-shaped. 
     
     
       5. The blank of  claim 4  wherein the smooth outer edge is blunt. 
     
     
       6. The blank of  claim 1  wherein the plastic sheet being formed by an extrusion process. 
     
     
       7. The blank of  claim 1  wherein the plastic sheet has a density of 400 grams per square meter to 1,000 grams be square meter. 
     
     
       8. The blank of  claim 7  wherein the blank is fabricated from high density polypropylene, or high density polyethylene. 
     
     
       9. The blank of  claim 1  wherein a first portion of the hinges is scored. 
     
     
       10. The blank of  claim 9  wherein a portion of the first portion has serrations. 
     
     
       11. The blank of  claim 9  wherein the scored portion is crushed. 
     
     
       12. The blank of  claim 9  further comprising a second portion of the hinges are welded. 
     
     
       13. The blank of  claim 12  wherein the hinges further comprising a third portion and a fourth portion, the third portion being the same as the first portion and the fourth portion being the same as the second portion. 
     
     
       14. The blank of  claim 1  wherein a portion of the hinges is welded. 
     
     
       15. The blank of  claim 1  wherein the manufacturer's joint comprises an overlap of a tab extending from the first lateral edge with a cutout on the second lateral edge. 
     
     
       16. The blank of  claim 15  wherein manufacturer's joint does not add thickness to the blank beyond the thickness of adjacent side panels and adjacent end panels. 
     
     
       17. The blank of  claim 16  wherein the manufacturer's joint includes an adhesive. 
     
     
       18. The blank of  claim 1  wherein the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge are extruded to a thickness of ⅓ that of the thickness of the side panels. 
     
     
       19. The blank of  claim 1  wherein the multilayer blank has a first outer layer, a second outer layer and a core material between the first outer layer and the second outer layer.